The true Zen
by ZanachiZakura
Summary: It's the ninja world during part 1. The difference being that I've added a couple OCs to mix it up. The POV or the main character being Zen Zakura. I will try to keep the story how it was written but I will have to change some points. For the sake of keeping the begining interesting. I will post a chapter a day and leave a authors note daily.
1. Chapter 1

Hello guys Zan here. This will be following the naruto story until the end of the ninja war. We shall be followig a OC I've created. they will be a couple, but I will be trying to not change the main story just more of I'll use him to progress the story thoguh I will change smaller stuff making somethings different but keepin the end result the same.

I walked towards the village I had been transferred too. Apparently just in time for the chunin exams. They had brought me here in hopes I'd become a powerful ninja and one day return. I was basically just a civilian hailing from a small village. The only reason I was a guy who had the skills of the ninja, a man who saved me from a tough gang of thugs by training me to be a ninja. I owed that guy a lot was glad that I would repay the leaf ninja who gave me everything. But I was excited to become a ninja and a chunin no less. My name is Zen, Zen Zakura. And I was determined to become a great ninja.

I finally walked of the village gate. I was impressed with the look of it. People joyously conversed, ran, walked, and sold wares. The gate was wide open allowing a view of the inside of the village. There were many buildings of various sizes and even a ramen shop towards the gate. As was about to enter two men appeared wearing strange mask one with three red stripes on the mask the other with two blue diamonds on the cheeks. "We've been awaiting your arrival." The one with the stripped mask said in a serious tone of voice. "Yes" the other copied "you were expected to arrive a day earlier. What took you?" "Sorry. But a suspicious gang of thugs were in town and I had to make sure that they didn't raid. I apologize." I said trying to be polite; everyone had heard of the anbu black ops. A group of elite ninja stronger than even jonin, their primary trade is assignation; I had no need to mess with them. "Come." The diamond one called "We will escort you to the hokage's office." We then walked to the hokage's office one either side of me. Though I was supposed to be allowed here they still didn't want me wandering around which was fair enough. We arrived there the hokage was stamping papers nonchalantly. He looked up, "I see you have made it to our humble village." He said sitting there. "Glad to have a new ninja to participate for us in the chunin exams. I have selected you a squad with two other genin. In twenty minutes the exam will begin so take the time to familiarize yourself with your squad members. Any questions?" I looked at the old man; he must be at least 60. He wore the hokage standard outfit. He didn't seem impressive but at the same time he must have some redeeming qualities to be labeled as hokage. "No thanks Hokage." I said joyfully. "I hope I get to impress you." I went to walk away but a question came to mind. "Oh yeah, where are they?" I asked. "The training grounds west of here towards the woods." He answered. "Thanks!" I called as I jumped out his window. I ran towards the training grounds excited to meet my new comrades and hopefully my new friends.

I jumped to a clearing with three logs. I saw two people standing next to the trees. One was guy he had odd, misplaced, and brown hair. He wore a leaf green shirt with the Japanese symbol of ninja. He also wore a leaf ninja head ban. He also wore a tan pair of cargo shorts. To summarize it he looked freaking weird to his left was a short girl black hair. She wore a blue sleeveless shirt. With a tight pair of black pants to match, she used her head ban as a make shift belt. Her hair was short and black. She looked cute in her own way. "So are you two my squad?" I asked. "Yes. Good to know that you're so polite. No hi or hello just, nope asking us questions right off the back." He said obviously annoyed "Give him a break." The girl spoke in my defense. "Sorry. I wasn't trying to be a jerk. What's your name any way?" I said apologetic. Though I understood it was slightly rude I thought his hospitality was unneeded. "Mine is Izuki Nuu. I'm guessing yours is rudling?" he said. "Mine is Celia Green." The girl chimed in. "Sorry again Izuki mine is Zen Zakura." I said slightly annoyed. Izuki then answered it with "You said my name wrong it's pronounced E-zu-kie not Iz-u-kie." "What's your problem!" I responded annoyance giving way to anger. "You're being a prick!" "Prick huh that's shows your dumb. And you're supposed to be a ninja? You just got lucky!" He said boiling with anger. "Let's settle this with our fist." I said ready to charge "Hey idiots we need to get there within ten minutes we need to go. " She says interrupting our scrabble


	2. Chapter 2

We all walked to the building where the Exams would be held. Celia and I in the front and Izuki was behind us grumbling. Unlike Izuki, Celia was very kind and welcoming. She was telling me about herself. She apparently came from a family of civilians. They had never once had a ninja in their family tree. And she was determined to become a strong Kunochi. She asked about me I told her about my village and how I was the defender. And the deal that sent me here. It seemed we could be friends, but her next comment threw me for a loop. "You should try to make up with Izuki." "What!?" I said shocked "He's the one who was being unreasonably angry with me." "Well he had to try hard to past the academy. While you got to past without even showing up. From his point of view you were given and unfair advantage." She said slightly looking sad "I just don't want you two to argue. We are supposed to be a squad and that means we have to become friends." "Fine." I said not wanting to get on bad terms with her too. I dropped some to where Izuki was walking "What do you want?" Izuki asked in a sour tone "Sorry for being rude earlier." I said quietly "So she got you too huh?" He said the tone changing from sour to knowing. "What do you mean?" Knowing that he knew but not wanting to admit it. "She seems to be able to bring out the best of people." He said smiling "To be honest I can be a bit pretentious, and you can be rude, add to that the fact that both of us are strong willed and short tempered and we could almost never be a team." I went to interrupt but he interrupted my interruption "But with Green we can be a good team. Because she's always understanding, she never judges one from there flaws. She'll be the heart of our team." He said looking at her as she led the way. "You know I forgive you for your mistake." He said looking towards me. I smiled back slightly annoyed that he hadn't said sorry. But with this guy it was the best I was getting. We both walked faster to catch up to Celia when she saw neither of us were angry or pouting now she smiled we arrived. We walked to the room were supposed to go to for the first exam. Soon we saw a kid with black hair spikey hair, a blue collared shirt, and white shorts attack a kid with Black long spikey hair he wore a bandages over his nose. Before they could attack each other a kid wearing a green jump suit blocked both of their kicks he threw them back. I was impressed he moved quickly. As we got closer we heard a girl with tow buns in her say to the jump suit guy "We were not supposed to show our abilities!" "Sorry." he replied as we got closer we could we saw that he had large eyebrows and a bowl cut. On his left was a guy with long hair that at the end drew back into a weird pony tail. He wore a white athletic gear shirt and brown shorts. "Yes Lee next time listen to the plan." "I know Neji Sorry. But I wanted to impress Sakura." The one Lee turned to a girl with pink long hair. She wore a red outfit. And she wore her head ban as well a hair band. He then said "Sakura, would you please be my girlfriend." "No!" She said shocked. He slightly depressed. "Hey." Izuki and I turned to Celia "It's a genjutsu." She said smiling. Izuki me both made the hand sign to dispel genjutsu silently saying "Kai!" we then saw it was the second floor. "Good job Celia!" I called "Impressive." Izuki stated slightly embarrassed he hadn't realized it before her. "Let's tell the others." She said smiling. "Nah" Izuki said they know but are screwing around." He said silently. We started to walk to the third floor. As we got up there we heard sounds that sounded like a struggle. "Sounds like someone is having fun." I said kind of disappointed that I wasn't having fun. We walked in there was people there already who must of seen through the genjutsu. And not of said anything. But we were first from the village hidden in the leaves. We saw people from the sand, rock, mist, cloud, and one I didn't remember called sound. They all gave us looks. Izuki and I gave them steely looks back, while Celia smiled at them. The other genin from the leaf arrived the first containing a kid who wore small sunglasses and a colt with a high collar and brown shinobi pants. Be him was a girl with a hoody with pale lavender eyes and blue hair you could tell she was shy by the way she carried herself. Behind her a boy with feral features. He had two red markings on his face and wore a hoody hood pulled up he had a dog next to him he had a grin showing he was excited for the challenges ahead. Behind the next team of leaf genin in the lead there was a genin with a relaxed stance. He had black spikey hair pulled into an upwards pony tail. He had a annoyed look to his face. He wore a gray vest and a mesh shirt underneath. Behind a chubby guy he had blondish hair with two tied pony tails upwards He had a bag of chips with him. Which he continuously pulled hand full of chips from and munched on happily. Behind him was a girl with long blonde hair. She had blue eyes and a slightly intimidated look on her face. She wore a stylish purple outfit. Then came in Neij's team, Lee jumpsuit looking slightly dirty. I smiled knowing he must have been one of the guys who had been fighting. Then Sasuke's team they stopped and talked to the other we backed up from them. During the talk they were gaining unnecessary attention which for now we wanted to avoid. They were approached by a leaf genin I had not seen before. So much for us being first I thought disappointedly. He soon showed them cards apparently showing stats. They now had the ninja annoyed, which was understandable. It was unnerving to know someone could tell others stuff about us. The ninja from the sounds attempted to attack the leaf genin he dodged the blow quickly he smiled for a second but then keeled over his glasses cracking. I stared at the guy with blatant intrest. He was able to cause damage without even landing a solid blow on him. I smiled happy to see that they were just as ready as we. Celia frowned worriedly. And Izuki smirked that smiled that meant he thought he knew something. I looked over to see the blonde shaking. Originally I frowned he hadn't seem the type to get scared so easily. But interrupting my assumption he shouted "MY NAME IS NARUTO UZIMAKI! AND I WILL BE HOKAGE! SO DON'T GET IN MY WAY." I smiled while something so obnoxious wasn't my style he had shown them that us rookies aren't cowards. Then in the middle of the room a cloud of smoke appeared and a man wearing a huge trench coat he had a face that matched the look he was going for by being scarred all over. He then yelled in a commanding tone "Let's begin!" We then went to the classroom he then had chunin hand out the test. "This is the first part of the exam the written test. There are ten questions nine of them you will answer in 30 minutes then you'll have 15 minutes to answer the final question. Here are the rules. You will answer each question on your own. Anyone caught cheating will be failed. Anyone who gets a score lower than 50, you will fail. The way to past is simple get a score higher than 50!" He called. "Now… BEGIN!" We all started to write. I looked at number one. "How many PSI (pounds per square inch) does it take to break a bone?" I originally was worried but I knew this one was 8. Hopefully the rest were easy I thought. I looked at the next one and felt my hopes die. "If you were to throw a kunai 276 feet in the air, it had a speed of 178 feet per second, and it had an arc of 16.47, what would be the total feet traveled?. Just the idea of it made my head hurt I'd never too smart in math. I looked at the rest of the questions. There's no way we'd be able to answer these question. We never taught it. So that made me rethink what he said. He said that if we were caught cheating we would fail but… he never said not to cheat! I thought I thought about it but I have no intelligence jutsu. I tugged at me head ban. A nervous habit, and looked at my second pencil. I then thought about it. And I came up with an idea. I stabbed my pencil into my desk causing a look from the chunins playing with the act I looked at the paper with an angry scrawl. I saw a couple of chunin chuckled at that. I smirked on the inside, I then tied my head ban to the pencil and once again going for the dumb act I said "Time to focus! No more playing around!" And I smiled as they all fell for the act. I looked in the head ban seeing the reflection a kid writing down the answer to question three. I copied it down quickly. He was blazing through them. I got four, five, and six too. But soon a chunin threw a kunai in his paper. He then proceeded to escort him out of the room. I frown I was one away from a passing grade. Of course assuming the ones answered were right. I continuously looked around with my reflection device checking for anyone answering within range. But after doing everything in conceivable idea without being obvious, I sighed out of frustration. I looked over Izuki was answering the questions and using a kunai cutting the ground leaving answers for Celia and the others in her row. But I was still too far away I sighed again disappointed. I untied my head ban and broke the first pencil while doing so. I pulled out the pencil luckily the lead was still there and for the stake of them thinking I was smart enough to answer the questions I wrote gibberish just for the idea I turned my paper over for the sake of saving those who were copying from wasting their time. A alarm went off and he stood up. "Now for the tenth question! But this question will be hard and if you answer it incorrectly you will fail! And if you do so you will be unable to participate in the exams ever again! So those who want retreat to fight another day you can quit. I frowned not liking how he played his card. Quitting was not an option and Izuki was smart enough to answer it. And he would tell Celia the answer. So we all kept our mouths shut. I looked over seeing the blond tremble with his orange jump suit; he looked like a nervous orange. He then stood up yelling "YOU THINK YOU CAN MAKE ME CHICKEN OUT! NEWS FLASH I'M GOING TO BE HOKAGE! SO I NEVER QUIT! CAUSE THAT'S MY NINJA WAY! BELIEVE IT!" the other who had tensed when he had told us the conditions relaxed. I smiled he was obnoxious but he did keep some in the game for now. He must be cool. "So no one else huh?" he said now calm "My last words to you genin are… YOU PAST!"

 _ **TO BE CONTINUED…**_

 _ **Hey it's me. I'm to apolagize for not posting but i's nerve racking to write. So this chapter is +2k words to make up for it. I'll post tommorow. If you see a error comment and if you feel like it review I'll fix it. Peaqce**_


	3. Chapter 3

We all were shocked. I wish I could say that I saw it coming but I thought for sure that they would weed us out at all chances. I looked around according to the Hokage this would eliminate a lot of us. But while it shortened our number hugely, we still had a lot of us. Izuki walked over to me Celia behind him. "So I'm guessing you didn't even answer one question." Izuki said in an annoyed tone. "No I answered five." I replied "So that's why you did that weird thing." Celia said "I knew you weren't stupid." "Aren't we supposed to be going to the next part of the exam now?" Izuki said we turned in time to see a cloud of smoke appear and a girl with purple hair and a white trench coat. She wore a mesh shirt which left little to the imagination. "Alright maggots!" She commanded "My name is Anko! And I will be the supervisor of part 2 of the chunin exams. So let's go to the site where the second part of the exam will be held meet me there ASAP! I expect you bring you're A-game!" She then disappeared in a poof of smoke. "They really like dramatic entrances and exits huh?" Celia asked "Yep." Izuki and I agreed. WE all walked there. Everyone going their own way. Once we arrived Anko started to speak again. "Now behind me stands zone 44. Or popularly known as the forest of death! See this forest is filled with dangerous animals and plants. And worst of all full of enemy ninja. See every team here will be sent in there with no supplies and no given equipment. What you have on your person is what you will have inside the forest. Now you must make it through the forest alive and every team member conscious. But there is one thing that will make this just a lot more deadly!" she said with a smile "See you each will be given a scroll to start there are two types of scrolls the heaven scroll and the earth scroll. In order to progress to the that part your team must acquire both scrolls to pass. But to get these scrolls you'll have to steal it from another team. I will call your team by number and alliances, when I call yours come to the tent and get your scroll." She then proceeded to call out the teams we were the fourth. "Squad 10 of the leaf." Anko called. I walked in and walked to the desk Anko was seated at. She handed me a earth scroll I turned to leave but stopped when Anko said "Hey! Wait." I looked at her with a look of suspicious confusion. "Listen after you guys hit the rank of Chunin I will be your squad leader. I normally don't like brats but since I'm forced to lead you… good luck." She said and quickly looked away. I then smiled. Glad to see she wasn't all bad. I walked towards Izuki and Celia. As I got to them they both gave me serious looks. "What?" I asked confused. "Listen we both think you should hold on to the scroll." Izuki stated simply. "Sure I'm glad to!" I said happy that they would let me do so. "Good." Celia replied happily. "By the way," Izuki inquired "we best be on our toes many of the more seasoned genin will be gunning for us because we are in there eyes 'easy prey'." Izuki informed us both. "Also once we see a squad regardless of what village or who is in it we must attack and dispatch of them and steal their scroll." "Right!" Celia and I replied. The chunin opened the gate and we dived in ready to become chunin.

Hey! Me again! I know currently no one is really reading this but I leave it as a guide for when they do. So I leave it off with a cliff hanger and happy to say next chapter a fight will happen. And we will get past the preliminaries to the third round. I'll either post it late today or early tommrow.


	4. Chapter 4

We all charged in jumping tree to tree. I felt adrenaline pumping I wasn't scared but the idea of doing something this life threatening was truly exhilarating. I kept looking behind me wanting to see someone there. Wanting to truly prove myself. I looked to my left Celia was behind me frowning slightly. If I could pick what she was thinking I'd say not scared but worried. I then looked to my right unlike Celia Izuki was keeping at my exact pace. He had a confident smirk. We went for a while till we saw a clearing. In the clearing there was a log with a heaven scroll on it. "Well that's one heck of a lame trap." I said uninterested. "Yes but we cannot refuse." Izuki said determined. "What if one of you two gets hurt?" Celia asked worried. "Here!" I tossed Izuki the earth scroll. "I'll go charge, when the trap activates or they attack you two counter." Izuki went to dispute but Celia interrupted "Sounds good." I smiled at her and jumped down. I looked at the scroll. I charged going very quickly at the last second two guys jumped in front of it. I flipped over their head and went for the scroll just for a third to kick me in the mid-section. I landed on my back I looked at him he drew ninja stars and threw them at me. Celia blocked them all with a kunai the other two narrowly dodged a massive amount of kunai thrown at them by Izuki. He jumped in front of them a kunai in each of hand. I stood with a smile. "I call the one with the scroll." I said staring down my opponent. Celia charged the two next to Izuki one of them charged at her pulling a staff and swung it aiming it for her head she ducked under the blow and kicked him in the gut he slid. The other on pulled a short sword and slashed at Izuki, he blocked with both kunai in an X formation. I turned to my opponent he gave me a smile he pulled out two strings with tons of kunai. He then whipped the string sending dozens of kunai my way. I smiled and ducked under the stream of kunai. I ran towards him with a kunai out. He sent a massive amount of kunai all in a straight line fashion. I tried getting close but he had the advantage being a long distance fighter. I jumped up he sent more kunai my way I needed to get close so I blocked them with my kunai but still suffered a few cuts. I got in close as I landed gave him a huge kick to the forehead. He almost fell and I preceded to roundhouse kick his cheek he flew back and skidded for a couple of feet. He stood up and smiled and said "I'll show you the true deadliness of my kunai string. All I'd used so far was my kunai river. That's only my first attack." He said angrily. I only smiled as he picked them up.

(Izuki's Fight/ POV)

He was standing in a kenjutsu stance. He smiled, I thought about it for a couple of seconds. Keeping it long range would be my best option. I leaped back putting a decent distance between us. I then drew as much ninja stars as I could and launched them one at time in rapid succession. He first dodged but then charged while blocking them with his sword. He got within striking distance and slashed for my head. I ducked. He quickly slashed downwards and a dodged to his right he pointed his blade and went to spin stab me. I bent my midsection and instead of being skewered the blade only glazed my stomach. I formed hand signs and he jumped up to avoid it. "Idiot!" I called. I then threw the kunai happy to see that he fell for my ploy. He flinched two kunai grazed his arms, the other two landed in his thighs. "Call me the idiot you should've gone for the kill!" I just smirked and pulled back the strings the kunai lodged in his legs pulled out tipping his body in the air and making him land on his head. "Is that enough?" I taught smugly.

(Celia's Fight/POV)

"Come on how come I'm stuck with the girl?" my opponent asked. I frowned and silently came at him. He swung his staff towards my legs I lifted them and stabbed him in the shoulder with my kunai. He countered with a jab at me I blocked it with my kunai but he leaned it forward and landed a blow on my head. I jumped back to give me room. His staff had a longer reach than me, so I wanted to keep my range. But he launched his staff at me I ducked and threw my kunai at him grazing his shoulder. I smiled and felt a smack on my head. It knocked me senseless I fell to one knee and heard "Die!" I formed the mole hand sign, then said "Earth Style: Earth Mud Wall Jutsu!" A wall of hardened mud blocked the jab he aimed for me. His staff was stuck in the wall. I unformed the hand sign and punched him in the face. He slid away. "Sorry to intervene but we're going to be taking both your scrolls." A voice said behind us. We all turned to see a duo wearing similar clothing standing there.

(Back to Zen)

All of us turned to look at the duo. Unlike the current squad we're fighting wore the same clothing which was a red one strapped shirt with black pants these two wore mask and were from the Leaf. They stood there the only question we were unsure of is how big of a threat they were. The one on the left said "I'll take the wimp with the whips." The other replied "I'll take the red head." They both jumped the whip guy slashed at me with the whip. I ducked the other threw kunai at the whip guy he jumped back. I turned to see the other masked guy aiming for me Celia jumped next to him and kicked him away. A staff came flying her way. I yelled "Fire Style: Fire Pellets Jutsu!" A small fire pellet formed between my middle and index finger I threw it towards the staff on contact it exploded and sent it flying back I jumped in front of the ninja using the staff. I charged and ducked under the blow I kicked towards him, he blocked with the staff. He spun it towards my head I ducked and slashed with a kunai he dodged and jabbed I spun to avoid it and threw my kunai it landed in his shoulder. I jumped back he ran towards me again attacking repeatedly quickly and ruthlessly. I dodged but got a hard hit landed on me. I flew back when he hit me in the gut. I stood up and held my stomach for a second. I he threw it at me I ducked and rushed. Just before I slugged him my legs were taken out. I was surprised to see he had the staff landed on the ground and he jabbed me hard in the gut knocking blood from my stomach into and out my mouth. He went to hit me in the face but I smiled and said "I'm known to have an explosive personality." I then blew up. He flew back pretty beat up. He got up shocked, he panted from the damage from the explosion. "That's one of my favorite techniques, the explosive clone. It's a jutsu passed down for generations from where I come from." I said with a smirk. He turned and a punched him hard he was unconscious before he even touched the ground. I smiled at my handy work.

(Izuki's Fight/POV)

I saw our new arrivals but I didn't have time to worry, this sword ninja was quick and deadly. He slammed the dull into my back then he went to decapitate me. I jumped up and formed hand signs. He jumped back and my kunai trick missed as he jumped up, I smiled and said "Water Style: Raging Water Bullet!" A large water orb slammed into him he spit our blood. He was still conscious and threw his blade I narrowly dodged. He slammed into the ground and pasted out I turned and was frozen at the sight I saw. Celia was on the ground not moving. The one masked one stood above her stretching his arm, the other held the heaven scroll in his hand and the whip guy was dead.

(Zen Again)

Izuki rand towards the guy who defeated Celia. I ran towards the other he smiled and ran towards me too. Being wary I jumped back formed the tiger hand sign and said "Fire Style: Inferno Wave!" A huge amount of fire flew towards him he ran and I spun to try to catch him in the flame. He eventually slowed down and got caught I smiled before I felt a hand grabbed my shoulder. I felt my chakra leave my body slowly I pushed through the fatigue and kneed him in the crouch. It was a desperate but effective move. I then elbowed his face and slammed into the ground. I then gave him an axel kick. He fell to the ground I looked over; the other guy was trying to stretch over me. But I had never seen him so angry and unthinking.

(Izuki's Fight/ POV)  
I was going to kill him. No one was allowed to touch Celia, not around me! She's my friend! My only friend! I tried to slash him in the chest with a kunai, but he strangely wrapped around me and was crushing me. I slowly formed hand signs gritting through the pain. I grunted "Water Style: Raging Water Bullet" It caused an explosion we both flew back. He slammed into a tree. Before he could react I said "Ice Style: Ice Orb Jutsu!" A ball of ice flew towards him he got up and it nailed him in the head he fell unconscious. I smiled at my victory and went to finish him. "Ic-" I was promptly kicked by Zen. I fell and looked at him. I jumped on the branch "Why'd you do that?" I asked "He's out leave him alone. I fell to my knee tired. The other masked guy jumped up. He threw ninja stars at us. We both ducked, I called "Water Style: Water Disc Jutsu!" I disc water sliced into tree him just barely dodging it. I then heard "Fire Style: Fire Pellet Jutsu!" I saw a small thing of fire hit him and explode he flew back not defeated but hurt just the same. "Listen!" Zen said "Give us the heaven scroll, you're in no state to fight and you're outnumbered. If you surrender and gives us the scroll we'll allow you and your partner go. If not we'll defeat you and take both the scrolls." Zen said confidently. I was pretty impressed even though we we're in an odd spot he was calm. Maybe I was wrong. The masked man stood up and looked at us. "Damnit! Fine here!" He passed us the heaven scroll. "I'll pay you back don't worry." Zen smiled "Thanks!" He said confidently. He ran away grabbing his partner. We grabbed Celia and retreated to a cave.

Hey it's me again! This is it my first fighting thing, how'd I do? If ya liked it let me know if not sorry, and I'm open to constructive criticism. Or maybe just insults, just make 'em clever. See ya review please and PEACE!


	5. Chapter 5

We sat there we'd just finished setting up camp for the night. I looked at Izuki, he looked like shit. I was sure he was going to pass out. He kept staring at Celia. With that and the over the top reaction to Celia being defeated it made me feel awkward. Before I had felt like an outsider because I was new to the two but now… it was because I was seeing how Izuki felt about Celia. I almost wanted to say id get food and leave but Izuki wouldn't be able to defend Celia should we come under attack. So I sat, it was odd for me not to be direct. It was a belief that we should be honest and hold nothing back. So eventually I asked hesitantly "So… do you umm… like… like Celia? I know I'm the new guy and all but. You seemed to be overly concerned. I mean she's fine." "Yes and no!" Izuki snapped back "What does that mean?" I replied carefully baiting him to spill the beans. "Well…" he started "I do like her and she doesn't know that… don't tell her. You'll just be risking your life. But on the same hand I was saying no to the fact that it's no big deal. She got hurt it's a huge deal. I have to protect her. She's the only friend I got." He said full of sadness. "Here it's a chakra pill; I lost the others during the fight. Use it on Celia. I'm going to get some rest. Listen. You are protect Celia with your life. " He said as he slowly laid himself down. I thought about our talk. 'Even when he was serious he's a jerk!' I thought. 'But I should give 'em a break.' I walked up to the unconscious Celia. I opened her mouth and put the pill in. I then made her chew. After a couple minutes she jerked up punching me in the face. I fell rubbing my face. "Oh I'm sorry!" She called "Its fine," I said picking myself up "good to see you're okay." "Yeah… sorry." She said "He had this crazy ability. I ran up to attack him and he grabbed me, he drained me chakra. By the time I realized I was too weak to get away or call for help. What happened to Izuki?" "He got a little worn out." I answered "Why hasn't he used his chakra pills?" She asked. "He loss all but one during the fight and he used the last one on you." I said trying to forget the conversation me and Izuki had just minutes before. She gave a hard to read look towards Izuki. Then stood up stretched and walked towards the mouth of the cave entrance. "Where you going?" I asked curiously. "To scavenge for food, wait here." She called walking out of the cave leaving me with the unconscious Izuki.

(Celia's POV)

I walked out confused. Why would Izuki give me the last one? Oh well, I said to myself. I walked up to a flowing river and weaved the mole and rat hand signs then said "Earth Style: Earth Gourd!" A rock turned to a four feet long and two feet wide gourd. I filled it with the river water and proceeded on to look for food I found plenty of berries and filled one of my kunai pouch with them most being blue or black berries with the exception of the occasional black berry. It wasn't much but it would hold us over for a while. Besides the quicker I get to camp the better, I walked back to hear growls and grunts form Zen I ran ready for ninja but I saw something much more hairy.

(Zen's POV/ Fight)

I was sitting there tending to the fire when I heard a crumble I assumed it was Celia and looked up ready to give a warm greeting. But what I saw was two beards both big and both angry. One charged towards Izuki the other at me. I raced towards Izuki to intercept the bear. The one who was focused on me swiped for my head I jumped over it and drop kicked the one who was trying to attack Izuki. I put some chakra into my feet so the bear hit the wall on the other cave wall. The other came at me swiping like crazy I jumped back Izuki. They both bared their teeth at me; I scanned them and grabbed a kunai. "This is going to suck!" I said to myself. One bear grabbed a rock the size of me he threw it at us I threw Izuki out of the way and ducked under the rock. The other bear was gunning for Izuki. I jumped up dodging the charge the other bears tried to give me I weaved two hand signs and said "Fire Style: Mini Fire Bomb!" I then threw the hand sized fire ball at the bear it flew back and hit the wall again the other went for a bite lung. I weaved to the left. I then kicked it, it barely registered the blow I leapt on his arm when he went for the swipe and elbowed his skull. Once again it changed nothing he smashed me into the ground; I leaped back and dodged the bite he went for. I tripped over Izuki and the bear went for the killer blow. A wall of mud blocked it and it hardened into rock. The bear tried to escape but the rock started to change and I heard "Earth Style: Gaea's Fist!" The rock turned into a big rock fist and punched the bear it went flying into the forest. I looked and saw Celia at the mouth of the cave. We both smiled at each other. I then heard a growl. I grabbed Izuki and spun as the bear ran past us I stabbed the bear in the neck it slowed as it passed and fell dead. Celia frowned "I dropped the berries and now their ruined." She said annoyed. "Well we can just have the bear it has plenty meat on it." I said smiling "Yeah, I hope it taste good." Celia said returning the smile. We cleaned out the bear separating the good meat from the bad. I then started to impale it with sticks I took the bark off of and cleaned and we roasted it over the fire. We ate laughing joking and talking about strategies. Soon I yawned tired since I hadn't got any rest. "Why don't you sleep? You've been going the whole time I'll take the first watch. Ok?" She asked caringly "Sure thanks." I quickly laid down on the ground using my chakra to make the stone feel somewhat softer.


End file.
